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Florida Hospital is the first in the nation to sign the “Make Hospital Foods Healthy” pledge, committing to providing patients with nutritious, minimally processed meals.
Tampa General Hospital CEO John Couris signed the pledge Thursday during a news conference attended by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
The 1,000-bed medical center partnered with Zakarian last year to revamp its menu based on the concept of “eating medicine”.
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The improved menu includes nutritious items and “can help prevent, manage and treat illness,” the hospital said in a 2025 news release announcing the partnership.
“If you go to your friend’s house and say, ‘This tastes like hospital food,’ that’s not a compliment,” Kennedy said during the news conference.
The “Make Hospital Food Healther” pledge obliges hospitals to reduce processed foods and added sugar. (Stock)
Kennedy said that hospitals are places where people go to find health, “and we were giving them things that would exacerbate their chronic diseases.”
“We halved the quality of the food,” Couris said of working with Zakarian on a limited number of menu items. “And we saw in some places that it increased by 5% to 7%. [food purchasing expenses]. That’s what we can take.”
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Following the menu changes, hospital officials reported a 53% increase in perceived food intake and more patients skipping meals, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported.
During the visit, Kennedy and Rollins tried a menu of soup, mezze salad and steak prepared by the hospital’s culinary team, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported.
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins joined Tampa National Hospital’s John Couris and celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian to taste test the food. (Tampa General Hospital)
HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched the “Make Hospital Foods Healthier” pledge earlier this month as part of a broader effort to encourage hospitals to offer healthier meals with fewer processed ingredients and added sugar.
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In announcing the program, Kennedy said patients recovering from serious medical conditions “deserve better than junk food that’s processed and deep fried.”
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent a notice to hospitals in March saying they will need to follow the new Dietary Guidelines in order for Americans to continue receiving Medicaid and Medicare payments.
Tampa General Hospital can serve as a model for other hospitals when it comes to serving patients healthy meals, Kennedy said. (Tampa General Hospital)
Kennedy pointed to Tampa General Hospital, which gets about 25% of its food from local farmers, as an example to other hospitals.
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“We have a statue here at Tampa General,” Kennedy said. “We’d say if they can do it, you can do it.”
